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Former Orlando councilor: Disney World's arrival and tourist tax built modern Orlando
Orlando City Commission / Orlando History Makers (podcast) · December 10, 2025
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Summary
George Stewart Jr., in a podcast interview, says Disney World's 1971 opening and the tourist development tax catalyzed downtown development, hotel growth and the city's ability to host major national and international events.
In an oral-history interview with his brother and host Robert Stewart, George Stewart Jr. said the opening of Disney World in October 1971 was the defining moment that set modern Orlando's development trajectory. "I think for modern Orlando history, I think it goes back to the opening of Disney World," he said, linking…
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